eBay bans sales of Confederate items on its site

NEW YORK - EBay is banning the sale of Confederate flags and similarly themed merchandise on its site because it has become a symbol of "divisiveness and racism."

The e-commerce company is the latest to prohibit the sale Confederate merchandise following Wal-Mart Inc. and Sears Holding Corp. The shooting deaths of nine black church members last week in South Carolina has reignited debate on what the flag symbolizes. Gov. Nikki Haley said this week that the Confederate flag should be removed from the Statehouse grounds

EBay Inc. says it will begin notifying sellers of its decision and begin removing items that contain the Confederate flag on Tuesday. A search for "Confederate flag" brought up 1,400 listings, including pins, watches, ties, hats and sunglasses with an image of the flag on it.